Electrical self-playing musical instrument.



PATENTBD JAN. 27, 1908.

G. H; DAVIS, ELECTRICAL SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION'IIL'ED 1107.26, 1900.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IO MODEL.

. mew/607 No. 719,093. PATENTED JAN. 27, 1903. G. H. DAVIS. ELECTRICAL SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 1900.

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' PATENTED JAN..27,".1903.

G. H. DAVIS.

ELECTRICAL SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 1900.

3 SHEETS-SIIEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

fizz/ado)? 6 dllwjavgfx UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE IIOYVLETT DAVIS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL SELF-PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 719,093, dated January 27, 1903.

Application filed November 26, 1900. Serial No. 37,753. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE HOWLETT DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Self-Play ing Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric self-playing musical instruments, and is in the nature of an improvement upon the invention for which I made application for Letters Patent of the United States on the 22d day of March, 1899, Serial No. 710,046.

The present invention has for its object, first, to simplify the connection between the electric motor and the drum which actuates the key-operating mechanism, whereby said drum is driven directly by the motor Without the intervention of intermediate gearing; second, to provide improved speed-regulating mechanism for altering the speed at which the music-sheet is driven; third, to simplify the music-sheet-rewinding mechanism; fourth, to improve and simplify the means for connecting the shoes to their actuating-armatures; fifth, to provide a contact-finger of simple and improved construction for closing the circuit with the contact-roller through the music-sheet, and, lastly, to improve and simplify the construction and arrangement of the parts generally, render more efficient their operation, and reduce the cost of man ufacturing and assembling the same, as well as effecting an economy in the power requisite to drive the mechanism.

To these ends my invention consists in the features and in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims following the description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, form ing a part of this specification, wherein Figure 1 is a view in sectional side elevation of a piano provided with my improved self-playing.attachment, only sufficient of the apparatus being illustrated to properly explain the construction and operation of the improvements forming the subject-matter for the present application. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the music-sheet holder and its operating mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a detailed view, in front elevation, illustrating the manner of mounting the motor. Fig. 4 is an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a detailed View illustrating a slightly-modified construction of the speed-changing mechanism and showing also the manner of connecting the shoes to their armatures. Fig. 6 is a detailed view of my improved contact device. Fig. 7is a detailed perspective view of the bracket forming the end bearing for the drum and the support for the commutatorbrushes. 7

In describing the presentinvention portions of the apparatus shown and described in my former application for patent will necessarily have to be referred to; but such portions will only herein be shown and described sufficiently to clearly understand the construction and operation of the improvements forming the subject of the present application.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a drum one end of which is journaled in one of a pair of metallic hangers or brackets 2, pendent from the under side of the piano-casing and the other end of the drum is journaled. in a bearing 4:, carried by a part of the motor-frame, as will be more clearly hereinafter made apparent. The hangers 2 are rigidly united by angle irons or bars 5, said hangers and angle irons forming a frame which carries all the parts forming the action for operating the piano-keys as contradistinguished from the music-sheet holder and its connected parts. Supported on the anglebar 5 is a series of electromagnets 6, preferably equal in number to the number of the piano'keys. The magnets are seated on and secured to the horizontal web of the anglebar, as most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings, and screwed or bolted to the vertical Web of said angle-bar are a number of vertically-adjustable flat springs 7, one for each magnet, which are bent horizontally at right angles at their upper ends to overlie the upper ends of the magnets. The springs 7 are adjustably secured to the angle-bar by screws 7 in such manner that they may be adjusted vertically. Passing through the free horizontal end of each spring 7 is the upper threaded end of a vertical brass rod 8, on the upper end of which is screwed a not 9, and mounted on said rod immediately beneath said spring is an armature 10, which is supported on the rod bya nut 11. The nuts operate to clasp the spring and armature tightly between them on the rod. The rod 8 extends vertically down between the two spools of the magnet and projects loosely through the horizontal web of the angle-bar. To the lower end of the rod 8 is secured by means of a set-screw a ferrule 12, that terminates at its lower end in a flat or ear which is pivoted, as at 13, to one of the upper corners of a shoe l t, and by vertically adjusting the springs and also the nuts 9 and 11 the armatures may be adjusted toward and from the poles of the magnets without altering the distance between the shoes and the drum, and by adjusting said nuts on the rod said shoes may also be adjusted toward and from the drum without altering the adjustment of the armatures relatively to the poles of the magnet. Furthermore, it-has been found in the arrangements heretofore employed there has been a tendency on the part of the shoes to partake of a lateral play to a greater or less extent, resulting in lost motion of said shoes and tending to prevent them from acting as promptly and positively as they otherwise should. By passing the rods pendent from the armatures loosely through the angle-bars, however, in the manner described, said rods are guided in their vertical movement and the shoes effectually prevented from moving laterally, whereby the latter are promptly and positively oscillated by the drum without the possibility of any lost motion occurring, thus insuring the piano-playing action being quick to respond to the influence of the magnets. The lower end of the shoe is slightly curved or convexed, as shown, and normally lies slightly above the drum 1. To the opposite upper corner of the shoe is pivoted the lower end of a vertically-movable striker-rod15, the upper end of which is adapted to engage or strike the under side of the inner end of one of the piano-keys lying immediately above it. Washers 16, of felt or similar material, are mounted on the rods 8 between the tops of the ferrules 12 and the under side of the angle-bar and operate to render the ferrules noiseless in the act of striking the angle-bar when the armatures are released by the magnets. The drum 1 is continuously rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow, and as each one of said magnets is energized it attracts its armature 10, thereby depressing the rod 8 and throwing the curved edge of the shoe 14, carried thereby, into contact with the drum. Owing to the rotation of the dru m, the shoe is rocked about its pivot 13 as a center, thereby raising the opposite corner of the shoe and forcing the striker-rod 15 upward and causing it to strike the inner end of the piano-key 3 and sound a note. In practice each magnet 6 is included in a normally open circuit, which is arranged to be closed by a brush adapted to project through a perforation in a music-sheet into contact with a metallic roller over which the music sheet is caused to travel, the perforations in the musicsheet determining the keys to be struck and the order in which they are struck.

The music-sheet 1'7 is wound on a deliveryroll 18, that is removably journaled in a holder or drop-frame constructed as follows:

The numeral 19 indicates the supportingframe or fixed part of the music-sheet holder, which is rigidly attached to the frame of the piano beneath the keyboard by suitable means. Hinged, as at 20, to the front end of the supporting-frame is the movable member or drop-frame 21 of the music-sheet holder, in the rear or free end of which is journaled the take-up 1 01122, upon which the perforated music-sheet is to be wound to play the piano. The delivery-roll 18 is journaled at one end in a bearing 23 in one side of the drop-frame and at its other end is provided with a clutch member 21, that is adapted to be interlocked with a similar clutch member 25, fixed or formed on the end of a short shaft 26, journaled in the side of the drop-frame. On the other end of the shaft 26 is fixed a pinion 27, that gears with a gear-wheel 28, that is fixed on a shaft 29, and to said shaft is attached the inner end of a coiled spring 30, the outer end of which is attached to the casing 31, which surrounds the spring. The casing 31 is screwed or bolted to the side of the dropframe, and the shaft 29 is journaled in suitable bearings formed therein. The tendency of the spring 30 is to rotate the delivery-roll in the proper direction to wind up the musicsheet thereon. From the delivery-roll the music-sheet 17 passes over the metallic contact-roller 32, journaled in the drop-frame between the delivery and take-up rolls,and from the contact-roller the music-sheet passes to the take-up roll 22, to which its end is detachably connected, whereby as the take-up roll is rotated by the mechanism presently to be described the music-sheet is withdrawn from the delivery-roll and wound up on the takeup roll, winding up or placing under tension the spring 30 in the operation.

The take-up roll is rotated to wind up the music-sheet thereon and the speed of its rotation regulated at will by means of the following mechanism: Journaled in bearings above the electromagnets is a shaft 33, on which is fixed a pulley 34, and about said pulley and the drum 1 is passeda belt 35, by means of which rotary motion is communicated from the drum to said shaft. On the shaft 33 is fixed a disk 36 of relative large diameter and operating as a friction-disk, as will presently appear. Fixed on one of the take-up rolls is a gear-wheel 37, and adapted to gear therewith is a pinion 38, which is fixed on one end of a short shaft journaled in one side of the supporting-frame or fixed member 19 of the music-sheet holder. Fixed on the other end of said shaft is a beveled gear-wheel 40, which is in engagement with a corresponding beveled gear-wheel 41, mount- IIO IIS

ed on one end of a telescopic shaft. The telescopic shaft consists of a solid shaft 42, journaled near one end in a bearing 43 on the frame 19 and at its opposite end loosely fitted in a tubular shaft 44, journaled in a bearing 45, fixed to the pianoframe. The two shafts 42 and 44 are splined or feathered one to the other, as by a pin 46 and slot 47 or in any other well-known or suitable manner, whereby said shafts may be moved lengthwise relatively one to the other, but are caused to rotate together. On the shaft 44 is fixed a relatively small frictionwheel 48, the periphery of which is in frictional contact with the face of the frictiondisk 36. Fixed on the tubular shaft 44 are two collars 4 9, and disposed between said collars is the end of a lever 50, which loosely surrounds said shaft, and at its other end is hinged, as at 51, a longitudinally-movable shifter-arm 52. Said sliding lever is slotted, as at 53, and is movably secured to the under side of a laterally-projecting portion 54 of the frame 19 by a machine-screw 55, which passes through said slot. The shaft 33 is continuously rotated by the drum 1, and the friction-disk 36 rotates therewith. The frictionwheel 48 being in frictional contact with the disk 36 is also rotated and rotates the telescopic shaft 42 44, and the latter, through the medium of the friction-gears 41 and 40 and the pinion 38 and the gear-wheel 37, rotates the take-up roll and winds the music-sheet thereon. To regulate the speed of travel of the music-sheet over the contact-roller 32, and thereby the time of the music, the shifterarm 52 is moved lengthwise by hand in one direction or the other, thereby moving the tubular shaft 44 longitudinally and shifting the friction-wheel 48 toward or from the center of the friction-disk 36. Inasmuch as the speed of the friction-disk increases as its periphery is approached, it will be evident that as the friction-wheel 43 is shifted the speed at which it is rotated, and hence the speed at which the music-sheet travels, will be varied.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings I have shown a slightly-modified construction of the speedregulating mechanism. As shown in said figure the disk 36 is fixed on an approximately vertical shaft 56, on the lower end of which is fixed a worm-wheel 57, that gears with a worm 58, formed on the drum 1, and for the beveled wheels 40 and 41, before described, a worm-wheel 59 and Worm 60 are substituted; otherwise the construction and operation is the same as that above set forth.

The numeral 61 indicates an electric motor for driving the entire apparatus, and instead of connecting said motor to the drum by a belt and pulleys, as shown and described in my application before mentioned, I connect the motor directly with the drum in the fol- 3 of the drawings, so that the armature and drum rotate as one.

The numeral 63 indicates the field-pieces, and 64 the field-coil, which may be rigidly screwed or bolted at the hanger 2 or to any other fixed support. A brass bracket 65 is fixed between the field-pieces 4 for the reception of the end of the drum 1 and with lugs 66 for the attachment of the brushes 67.

The details of the motor need not be described, as they are of ordinary and wellknown construction, and said motor may be driven by a battery or any suitable supply of electrical energy. By thus arranging the motor the drum is driven directly thereby and intermediate gearing or driving mechanism, such as a beltand pulleys, is dispensed with, whereby less power is required to drive the drum and an economy in space and in the cost of manufacture is efifected.

Suitable means are provided for holding up the drop-frame of the music-sheet holder in operative position and for automatically releasing the same and permitting it to drop by gravity whenever the end of the music-sheet is reached; but this feature is fully shown and described in my said application for patent and need not be herein shown and described.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The motor having been set in operation, the drum 1 is rotated and rotates the take-up roll 22 and winds up the perforated musicsheet thereon. As the music-sheet travels over the contact-roller 32 the perforations therein cause the various electromagnets 6 to be energized in their proper order and in a well-known manner to correctly actuate the piano-keys. By withdrawing or pushing in the sliding lever 52 the speed at which the music-sheet travels, and hence the tempo of the music, can be regulated at will. When the end of the music-sheet is reached, the drop-frame of the music-sheet holder is released and permitted to drop down and throws the motor out of operation, all as described in my previous application. When the dropframe swings down, the gear-wheel 37 on the take-up roll is thrown out of engagement with the pinion 38, thereby permitting the take-up roll to run free, immediately upon which the spring 30, which has been wound up during the operation of unwinding the delivery-roll, is permitted to expand or uncoil and through the medium of the gears 28 and 27 quickly rotates the delivery-roll in the proper direction to rewind the music sheet, whereupon by swinging the music-sheet holder back up into place the apparatus is again in readiness for operation.

- By arranging the rewinding mechanism as shown I am enabled to dispense with the greater part of the means shown in my prior application for rewinding the music-sheet, not only greatly simplifying and reducing the cost of manufacture and effecting an economy in the space occupied by the rewinding mech- ICC anism, but also increasing the promptness of action and efficiency of operation of the rewinding mechanism and reducing the power necessary to operate it.

I provide novel contact-fingers for completing the magnet-circuits through the contactroller 32, constructed as follows: The numeral 68 indicates a transverse rail or cross-bar of non-conducting material which is fixed in the stationaryframe member] 9 of the music-sheet holder and is provided with a laterally-projecting shelf or flange 69. A corresponding rail or cross-bar 70 is also fixed in said stationary frame in proximity to the contactroller 32 and is provided with alaterally-projecting perforated flange 71. The contactfingers 72 are preferably stamped out of thin sheet-copper and each is provided at one end with a fulcrum 73, that rests on the shelf or flange 69, and at its other end terminates in a pendent finger 74, that loosely projects through one of the perforations 75 in the shelf or flange 71 into contact with the contact-roller 32 or with the music-sheet arranged to travel about said roller. As shown, the contact-rollers are preferably made thicker intermediate their ends,whereby the requisite weight isimparted to said fingers toinsure the pendent ends 74 making the contact with certainty with the contact-roller whenever a perforation in the music'sheet is moved under the end of the said con tact-fingers. To the rear end of each contact-finger 72 is soldered one end of a fine copper wire 76, which is passed through a perforation 77 in the rail 68 and is connected by a screw 78 on top of said rail to a thicker wire 79, leading to one of the magnets 6, that actuates the shoes. It will of course be understood that to each wire will be connected one contact-finger 72, and one of the latter is provided for each magnet and shoe, and that the return-circuits will all pass through the contact-roller 32. The operation of the abovedescribed parts will be readily understood. As the perforations in the music-sheet come under the pendent ends 74 of the contact-fingers said ends will contact with said roller and will close the circuit through the corresponding magnets and actuate the shoes.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, of a plurality of pivoted shoes arranged in proximity to the drum, striker-rods connected to the shoes and arranged to engage the keys of a musical instrument, a plurality of electromagnets, one for each shoe, armatures controlled by said magnets and connected to the shoes, whereby when the armatures are attracted they throw the edges of the shoes into contact with the drum, a frame for supporting said parts and provided with means for attachment to the musical instrument, and an electric motor fixed to one end of said frame, one end of said drum being journaled in one end of said frame and the other end in abearing carried by a part of the motor-frame, the armature of the motor being fixed on the drum, substantially as described. 7

2. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, ofa plurality of pivoted shoes arranged in proximity to the drum, striker-arms connected to said shoes and adapted to actuate the keys of a musical instrument, means for throwing said shoes into contact with the drum to actuate the striker-arms,a frame for supporting said parts and provided with means for attachment to the musical instrument, and an electric m0- tor fixed to one end of said frame, one end of said drum being journaled in one end of said frame and the other end in a bearing carried by a part of the motor-frame, the armature of the motor being fixed on the drum, substantially as described.

3. In aself-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, of a plurality of pivoted shoes arranged in proximity to the drum, striker-arms connected with said shoes and arranged to actuate the keys of a musical instrument, means for throwing said shoes into contact with the drum to actuate the striker-arms, a frame for supporting said parts, an electric motor fixed to one end of said frame, and a bracket fixed between the field-pieces of the motor and provided with a bearing, one end of the drum being journaled in one end of said frame and its other end journaled in said bearing, and the armature of the motor being mounted on the drum, substantially as described.

at. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, of a plurality of pivoted shoes arranged in proximity to the drum, striker-arms connected to the shoes and arranged to actuate the keys of a musical instrument, means for throwing said shoes into contact with the drum to actuate the strikerarms, an electric motor, the armature of the motor being fixed directly on the end of the drum and the field thereof rigidly attached to a fixed support, and a bracket of brass or other non-magnetic material fixed between the field-pieces and provided with a bearing in which the end of the drum is journaled, substantially as described.

5. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with arotatable drum and means for rotating it, of a music-sheet holder comprising a delivery-roll and atake-up roll journaled in suitable bearings,a rotary disk driven by the drum, a friction-disk having its periphery arranged in contact with the face of said disk, gearing arranged to communicate rotary motion from the friction-wheel to the take-up roll, a lengthwise extensible and contractible connection between the frictiondisk and said gearing, and means for moving the friction-wheel toward and from the center of the friction-disk at will to regulate the speed of travel of the music-sheet independently of the speed of rotation of the drum, substantially as described.

6. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotatable drum and means for rotating it, of a music-sheet holder comprising a delivery-roll and a take-up roll journaled in suitable bearings,a rotary disk, a friction-wheel having its periphery arranged in contact with the face of said disk, gearing arranged to communicate rotary motion from the friction-wheel to the take-up roll,a lengthwise extensible and contractible connection between the friction-disk and said gearing, means for throwing said gearing into and out of operative engagement with the take-up roll, and means for moving the friction-Wheel toward and from the center of the frictiondisk at will to regulate the speed of travel of the music-sheet independently of the speed of rotation of the drum, substantially as described.

7. In aself-playing musicalinstrument, the combination with a motor, of a music-sheet holder comprising a delivery-roll and a takeup roll journaled in suitable bearings, a rotary disk driven by the motor, a telescopic shaft journaled in suitable bearings and provided at one end with a friction-wheel having its periphery arranged in contact with the face of the disk and at its other end with gearing arranged to communicate rotary motion to the take-up roll, and means for extending and contracting said shaft to move the friction-wheel toward and from the center of the friction-disk, whereby the speed of travel of the music-sheet may be regulated independently of the speed of rotation of the drum, substantially as described.

8. In a self-playing musicalinstrument, the combination with a motor, of a music-sheet holder comprising a delivery-roll and a takeup roll journaled in suitable bearings, a 1'0- tary disk driven by the motor, a telescopic shaft journaled in suitable bearings and provided at one end with a friction-wheel having its periphery arranged in contact with the face of the disk and at its other end with gearing arranged to communicate rotary motion to the take-up roll, collars arranged on the movable portion of the shaft carrying the friction-wheel, and a shifting-lever one end of which embraces said shaft between said collars, whereby the speed of travel of the music-sheet may be regulated independently of the speed of rotation of the drum, substantially as described.

9. Inaself-playing musicalinstrument, the combination with a motor, of a music-sheet holder comprising a delivery-roll and a takeup roll journaled in suitable bearings, a rotary disk driven by the motor, a telescopic shaft journaled in suitable bearings and provided at one end with a friction-wheel having its periphery arranged in contact with the face of the friction-disk and at its other end with gearing arranged to communicate rotary motion to the take-up roll, a sliding lever, and a shifting-lever connected at one end to the movable portion of the shaft carrying the friction-disk and hinged at its other end to the sliding lever, whereby the speed of travel of the music-sheet may be regulated independently of the speed of rotation of the drum, substantially as described.

10. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotatable drum and means for rotating it, of a music-sheet holder, comprising a movable frame and a take-up and a delivery roll journaled in said frame, a rotary disk driven by the drum, a telescopic shaftjournaled in fixed bearings and provided at one end with a friction-wheel having its periphery arranged in contact with the face of the friction-disk, separable gearing connecting the other end of said shaft with the take-up roller, and means for shifting Wheel toward and from the center of the frictiondisk, the arrangement being such that when the frame carrying the take-up roller is moved out of operative position the gearing connecting the said shaft and take-up roll will be separated and said roll be rendered inoperative, substantially as described.

11. In a self-playing musical instrument, a music-sheet holder comprising a movable frame and a take-up and a delivery roll journaled in said frame, means for rotating the take-up roll to unwind the music-sheet from the delivery-roll onto the take-up roll, and means for throwing the take-up roll out of engagement with its driving mechanism, of a rotatable shaft, a spring fixed at one end to said shaft and at its other end toa fixed support carried by the movable frame, a gearwheel fixed on the shaft, and a pinion gearing with said gear-wheel and arranged to rotate with the delivery-roll, the arrangement being such that when the take-up roll is released the spring will operate to rotate the deliveryroll and rewind the music-sheet thereon, substantially as described.

12. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, of a plurality of pivoted shoes arranged in proximity to the drum, striker-arms connected to said shoes and adapted to actuate the keys of a musical instrument, electromagnets, one for each shoe, springs arranged opposite the poles of the magnets, a perforated support for the magnets, rods pendent from said springs and extending between the spools of the magnets and through the perforations in said support, said rods being pivotally connected at their lower ends to said shoes and armatures fixed on the rods opposite the poles of the magnets, substantially as described.

13. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, of a plurality of pivoted shoes arranged in proximity to the drum, striker-arms connected to said shoes and adapted to actuate the keys of the musical instrument, electromagnets, one for each shoe, springs having their free ends arranged opposite the poles of the magnets, rods threaded at one end and passed loosely through the free ends of the springs and pivotally connected at their other ends to the shoes, armatures arranged on said rods in juxtaposition to the springs, and nuts arranged on the rods to adjustably secure said springs, rods and armatures, substantially as described.

14. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, of a plurality of pivoted shoes arranged in proximity to the drum, striker-arms connected to said shoes and arranged to actuate the keys of the musical instrument, electromagnets, one for each shoe, adjustable springs having their free ends arranged opposite the poles of the magnets, rods adjustably secured at one end to the free ends of the springs and connected at their opposite ends to the shoes, armatures adjustably secured on said rods in juxtaposition to the springs, and elastic washers arranged on said rods and operating to abut the base of the magnets when the armatures are released and deaden the noise, substantially as described.

15. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination With a contact-roller and means for feeding a perforated music-sheet thereover, of a circuit-closer consisting of a metallic finger loosely supported at one end on a fixed support and arranged to rest at its other end on the music-sheet and to project through perforations in the latter into contact with the contact-roller, substantially as described.

16. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a contact-roller and means for feeding a perforated music-sheet thereover, of a circuit-closer consisting of a metallic finger loosely supported at one end on a fixed support and terminating at its 0pposite end in a pendent finger resting on the music-sheet on the contact-roller, and a perforated shelf through which said pendent fingerloosely projects,substantially as described.

17. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a contact-roller and means for feeding a perforated music-sheet thereover, of a circuit-closer consisting of a metallic finger loosely fulcrumed at one end on a support and provided at its other end with a pendent finger resting on the musicsheet on the contact-roller, and a guide for holding the finger in operative position, substantially as described.

18. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a contact-roller and means for feeding a perforated music-sheet thereover, of two fixed rails, a circuit-closer consisting of a metallic finger loosely fulcrumed at one end on one of said rails and provided at its other end with a pendent extension loosely projecting through a perforation in the other rail into contact with the music-sheet on the contact-roller, substantially as described.

19. In a self-playing musical instrument the combination with a contact-roller and means for feeding a perforated music-sheet thereover, of two fixed rails, a circuit-closer consisting of a metallic 'finger loosely fulcrumed at one end on one of said rails and provided at its other end with a pendent extension loosely projecting through a perforation in the other rail into contact with the music-sheet on the contact-roller, said metallic finger being weighted between its ends, substantially as described.

20. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a contact-roller and means for feeding a perforated music-sheet thereover, of two fixed rails, a circuit-closer consisting of a metallic finger loosely fulcrumed at one end on one of said rails and provided at the other end with a pendent extension loosely projecting through a perforation in the other rail into contact with the music-sheet on the contact-roller and a conductor-wire attached to said finger, substantially as described.

21. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a contact-roller and means for feeding a perforated music-sheet thereover, of two fixed rails each provided with a laterally-projecting shelf, a metallic finger loosely fulcrumed at one end on one of said shelves and provided at its other end with a pendent extension loosely projected through a perforation in the other shelf into contact with the music-sheet on the contactroller, and a conductor-wire connected to said metallic finger, substantially as described.

22. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a contact-roller and means for feeding a perforated music-sheet thereover, of two fixed rails each provided with a laterally-projecting shelf, a metallic finger loosely fulcru med at one end on one of said shelves and connected to a wire conduc tor threaded through a perforation in the rail carrying said shelf, said conductor being connected at its other end to a binding-post on the rail, the other end of said metallic finger terminating in a pendent extension loosely projecting through a perforation in the other shelf into contact with the music-sheet on the contact-roller, and a conductor-wire attached at one end to and leading from said bindingpost, substantially as described.

23. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, of a plurality of pivoted shoes arranged in proximity to the drum, striker-arms connected to said shoes and adapted to actuate the keys of a musical instrument, electromagnets, one for each shoe, springs arranged opposite the poles of the magnets, armatures arranged to move with the springs, connections between said armatures and the shoes for throwing the latter into contact with the drum when the armatures are attracted by their magnets, and means for guiding said connections to prevent lateral movement of the shoes, substantially as described.

24. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, of a pluraliry of pivoted shoes arranged in proximity to the drum, striker-arms connected to said shoes and adapted to actuate the keys ofa musical instrument, electrom agnets, one for each shoe, springs having their free ends arranged opposite the poles of the magnets, armatures connected to said free ends of the springs, rod connections between said armatures and springs and the shoes for throwing the latter into contact with the drum when the armatures are attracted by their magnets, and means for independently adjusting the armatures and springs toward and from the poles of the magnets and the shoes toward and from the drum, substantially as described.

25. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, of a plurality of pivoted shoes arranged in proximity to the drum, striker-arms connected to said shoes and arranged to actuate the keys of a musical instrument, electromagnets, one for each shoe, armatures for the magnets, connections between said armatures and the shoes for throwing the latter into contact with the drum when the armatures are attracted by their magnets, and means for guiding said connections to prevent lateral movement of the shoes, substantially as described.

26. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, of a shoe arranged in proximity to the drum, a strikerarm operable by the shoe and adapted to actuate a key of a musical instrument, an electromagnet, an armature for themagnet, a connection between said armature and the shoe for throwing the latter into contact with the drum when the armature is attracted by its magnet, and means for guiding said connection to prevent lateral movement of the shoe.

27. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, of a pivoted shoe arranged in proximity to the drum, a striker-arm connected to the shoe and adaptarmature and shoe, said rod passing througl\' an opening in the support whereby it i guided therein and lateral movement prevented.

28. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, of a friction-shoe, an electromagnet and an armature therefor, an extensible connection between the armature and friction-shoe, and means for adjusting the armature to and from the poles of its magnet to limit the air-gap therebetween, said adjusting means being additional to the extensible connection between the armature and friction-shoe.

29. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with a rotary drum, a frietion-shoe arranged in proximity thereto, and an electromagnet, of an extensible connection between the armature of the electromag- 5 net and the friction-shoe, and a stop device adapted to limit the movement of the armature on its return or back stroke, substantially as described.

30. In a self-playing attachment for musical instruments, the combination with a ro- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE HOWLETT DAVIS. Witnesses:

WM. H. .AI'IKEN, CHAS. G. OLIVER. 

